Students seeking credit toward a Philosophy major or minor for college-level courses taken abroad or at another U.S. college or university are welcome to apply to the department to count such courses toward major or minor requirements. Approved courses may meet specific major or minor requirements (e.g., Historical and Cultural Perspectives, Logic and Writing, Advanced Studies) if those courses are substantially similar to ones that the department offers to meet those requirements; or approved courses may be treated as electives counting toward the 12-unit major or 6-unit minor requirement.  

The approval process for students transferring in credit from another institution attended prior to matriculation at Colorado College differs from that for majors or minors taking courses abroad or at another institution while enrolled at the College:

• For students transferring in credit for courses taken at another institution prior to enrolling at the College: students petition the department chair, explaining briefly the content of the course, supplying a syllabus for the course, and clarifying whether the credit sought is for a specific major or minor requirement or just elective credit.
• For current Colorado College students planning to study abroad or at another U.S. institution: students meet with their departmental advisor prior to enrolling in the course or courses and seek their tentative approval. After obtaining a syllabus for the course, students petition the department chair and their departmental advisor for credit, explaining briefly the content of the course, supplying the course syllabus, and clarifying whether the credit sought is for a specific major or minor requirement or just elective credit.

Decisions about credit for courses will be made by the department as a whole, giving special attention to the opinions of faculty with specializations relevant to those courses.

Students seeking credit toward a History-Philosophy major follow the same processes, with these exceptions:

• Credits for Philosophy courses will require an initial review and agreement by the two Philosophy and History major advisors.
• Once that review and agreement are complete, students petition the Philosophy chair for credit. Decisions about credit will be made by the Philosophy Department as a whole.
• Credits for History courses counting toward the thematic concentration or elective credit will be subject to the History Department’s policy for transfer credit.
• Credit for one course in a related discipline that counts toward the thematic concentration will be reviewed by both departments, following their respective transfer credit policies and procedures.

Adopted 22 September 2025